No other city in the world has so fascinating a blend of contradictions as Los Angeles, where history mixes with pop culture, the trashy accompanies the classy, the rich live alongside the poor. It’s easy for a visitor to become overwhelmed by a city so enormous and diverse, so be sure to arrive with an itinerary in mind and stay focused. You’ll love L.A. all the more with a little advance planning.

HURRAY FOR HOLLYWOOD

Everyone gets star struck in L.A., so take a movie stars home tour and get it out of your system. At $30, Starline Tours offers one of the best, starting off in Beverly Hills and Bel-Air, then cruising along the Sunset Strip and Rodeo Drive. Don’t expect to catch Angelina putting out the garbage in her bathrobe, though — many of the homes are circled by high walls. This company also offers another great deal: a jump on/jump off trolley tour that includes trips to Santa Monica, the Fashion District and the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. If time is tight, take in all the touristy spots in one full day with the Grand Tour of L.A.

Recently, Hollywood Boulevard has gotten out of rehab and made a major comeback. Even Fredericks of Hollywood has taken a wholesome turn. The Hollywood & Highland Center has a string of trendy stores and good restaurants. It’s a great place to people watch, and it’s worth taking a stroll to see Grauman’s Chinese Theater, the Kodak Theater (home of the Academy Awards), the historic Pantages Theater and the famous celebrity imprints along the Walk of Fame. At the 30-minute Kodak Theater tour you can see a real Oscar. Afterwards, you can mingle with the stars at the Hollywood Wax Museum or the recently opened Madame Tussauds Hollywood. The Hollywood Museum is another entertaining stop featuring five floors of exhibitions and famous costumes. This is Tinseltown kitsch at its best.

Budding starlets will enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of Paramount Studios or the Warner Bros. Studios. On both tours you’ll get to get to visit the sound stages and studios where so many famous films and television shows were shot. Reservations are needed for both tours. Be aware the Universal Studios tour will eat up an entire day because there are also amusement rides and shows to take in.

FAMILY FUN

Los Angeles abounds in theme parks. The Six Flags Magic Mountain is famous for such roller coaster rides as the Viper and Flashback. If getting whiplash is not your thing, there are over 100 other rides to enjoy. Knott’s Berry Farm is the granddaddy of theme parks. There are no berries — they’ve been replaced by the 160 rides and live shows including the Old West Ghost Town and Camp Snoopy.

LEGOLAND is the best bet if you are travelling with younger children. It has 50 rides — most for smaller children. There is also the amazing Miniland USA, where 20 million pieces of LEGO replicate eight American locations. There is also the nine-foot-tall red LEGO dinosaur at the entrance. And of course, there is Disneyland, where Uncle Walt realized his dream of creating a magical park.

You’ll need a car to get to most of these locations. If you’re considering visiting more than one, consider purchasing a three-day Go Los Angeles card. For a set fee, you get entry into two top attractions each day along with discounted fees for others. You can save a bundle.

HIGH BROW L.A.

Many visitors mistakenly assume L.A. has no culture beyond pop culture. But there is a thriving art scene here. Every second Thursday afternoon, there is the free Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk that travels along Gallery Row, which used to be one of L.A.’s skid rows before it was transformed. Launched in 2004, the walk attracts close to 10,000 people who come to visit the more than 38 galleries and enjoy the exceptional restaurants and bars along the way. The museum of Neon Art is both out of the ordinary and fun.

The city is also home to one of the best art collections in the world. The Getty Museum is nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains above Interstate 405. It’s surrounded by 600 acres of nature and guests are shuttled up the mountain on a small monorail system. You won’t be able to get through the Getty in one day. The collection is mammoth — among its treasures are pre-20th-century European paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, sculpture, and decorative arts, and 19th- and 20th-century American and European photographs housed in five buildings.

Second-floor galleries have computer-controlled skylights so you can view the paintings in natural light, including Van Gogh’s Irises and Paul Gauguin’s Arii Matamoe. There are also the magnificent gardens and sculptures to enjoy. Admission to the gallery is free.

RETAIL THERAPY

Make sure your credit card is clear if you want to go shopping in L.A. Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade has some unique boutiques. (The stars shop at Fred Segal and along Montana Avenue, where the high-end boutiques are located.) Forget about buying anything on Rodeo Drive unless it’s some small bauble on sale — at least you’ll have a prestigious bag to carry it in. Vintage and funky clothing can be found on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice Beach.

PARTY LIKE A ROCK STAR

Los Angeles by night should be experienced at least once. Where else can you see stars behaving badly? The hottest clubs are found in Downtown, Hollywood and the Valley. L.A. has been heavily promoting the Metro Red Line for bar-hopping (yes, L.A. does have a subway system). It’s about the only time the subway will be useful to you.

You can spot celebrities at the Opera Bar and the Hush Lounge speakeasy. For a walk on the wild side, make dinner reservations at the infamous Green Door. In the early evenings, it offers a Paris-style dinner atmosphere and after 11 p.m., when clothing becomes optional, it turns into an adult social club. Enjoy a more laid-back atmosphere in the art-deco Broadway Bar at 7th Street in the historic theatre district or at the underground Edison lounge on 2nd Street.

SURF & SAND

After a night on the town, lounging on a beach may be the most sensible option. With its 115-km coastline, there are more than 30 beaches to visit in Los Angeles. Santa Monica beach is readily accessible, with lovely white sands and a paved beach path to walk, skate or bike. There are also plenty of cafes, shops and restaurants nearby.

If you go south you’ll eventually hit Venice Beach, where you’ll feel refreshingly normal. This is the unabashed freak capital of L.A. and as you progress to the apex at the fishing pier things just get weirder. If you’re into beefcake, head over to Muscle Beach to watch the guys workout. Arnold Schwarzenegger has come a long way since his days here. Surfers may want to visit Surfrider Beach near the Malibu Pier, where out-of-towners are welcome. For a complete listing of beaches contact the Department of Beaches and Harbors at 310-305-9503.

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